MacKenzie Deal Done

Wednesday

May 30, 2012 at 12:01 AMMay 30, 2012 at 2:44 AM

Blue Jackets center Derek MacKenzie has agreed to terms on a two-year, $2 million contract, a deal that is expected to be announced on Wednesday after he passed a physical with team doctors tonight. MacKenzie could have become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. The 30-year-old had seven goals, seven assists, 40 penalty minutes, and a plus-4 rating in 66 games last season, missing the final 16 games after suffering a concussion in late February. MacKenzie told The Dispatch earlier this month that he had been symptom-free since late in the season, but the Blue Jackets asked for a physical as a precaution. MacKenzie traveled to Columbus over the weekend, took the physical last night and passed. The Blue Jackets have relied on MacKenzie to anchor their fourth line and one of their penalty kill units since he became an NHL regular two seasons ago. Over the last three seasons, MacKenzie has had a combined plus-21 rating, including a plus-14 in 2010-11 when he became an NHL regular. He's also won 53.4 percent of faceoffs in that span, including 54.5 percent last season, good for second on the club. MacKenzie's signing leaves the Blue Jackets with two free agent priorities before July 1 – defenseman Nikita Nikitin and right winger Jared Boll, both restricted free agents. The Jackets may pursue a two-way deal with goaltender Curtis Sanford, depending on what other changes happen at that position.

-- Aaron Portzline

aportzline@dispatch.com

twitter: @aportzline

Blue Jackets center Derek MacKenzie has agreed to terms on a two-year, $2 million contract, a deal that is expected to be announced on Wednesday after he passed a physical with team doctors tonight. MacKenzie could have become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. The 30-year-old had seven goals, seven assists, 40 penalty minutes, and a plus-4 rating in 66 games last season, missing the final 16 games after suffering a concussion in late February. MacKenzie told The Dispatch earlier this month that he had been symptom-free since late in the season, but the Blue Jackets asked for a physical as a precaution. MacKenzie traveled to Columbus over the weekend, took the physical last night and passed. The Blue Jackets have relied on MacKenzie to anchor their fourth line and one of their penalty kill units since he became an NHL regular two seasons ago. Over the last three seasons, MacKenzie has had a combined plus-21 rating, including a plus-14 in 2010-11 when he became an NHL regular. He's also won 53.4 percent of faceoffs in that span, including 54.5 percent last season, good for second on the club. MacKenzie's signing leaves the Blue Jackets with two free agent priorities before July 1 – defenseman Nikita Nikitin and right winger Jared Boll, both restricted free agents. The Jackets may pursue a two-way deal with goaltender Curtis Sanford, depending on what other changes happen at that position.